We have some teams at 62 games, which means they're about to be down to double-digit games remaining. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, it seems like MLB seasons get late earlier and earlier. Wednesday features plenty of action, including 11 games starting at 6:40 p.m. EDT or later. Here are your MLB DFS lineup recommendations for Wednesday.
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Pitching
Gerrit Cole, NYY vs. CLE ($10,800): Well, the next run Cole allows this season will be the first, so why not roll with him? I know it's only been two starts, but he's looked like the ace he was prior to missing the 2025 campaign. Cleveland has been scuffling a bit offensively as some hot starters have cooled down, and now it is trying to avoid falling into the bottom 10 in runs scored.
Spencer Arrighetti, HOU vs. PIT ($10,000): Arrighetti has been a different dude in 2026. He's now made eight starts and has an 1.34 ERA. Okay, he's not entirely different, because he still walks guys, but he's literally not allowed more than two earned runs in a start. The Pirates score runs, but they are not a disciplined offense. Pittsburgh is in the bottom four in team strikeouts.
Grant Holmes, ATL vs. TOR ($8,100): Holmes has delivered as expected, which is neither good nor bad. He had a 3.99 ERA last year, and he has a 3.95 ERA this year. However, the Blue Jays remain in the bottom 10 in runs scored, while Atlanta is in the top three in runs scored. As long as Holmes goes deep enough into the game, he'll be in prime position for a win.
Top Targets
The power has fully arrived for Nick Kurtz ($4,200) this season, which isn't surprising given that he hit 36 homers in 117 games as a rookie. Over the last three weeks the southpaw has slugged .662. Colin Rea has a 2.96 ERA at home, but an 1.3 HR/9 rate, so he's perhaps been a bit lucky. On top of that, lefties have hit .307 against Rea this year.
Setting power aside, Brice Turang ($3,900) has an OBP over .400 against righties and also at home, and he has two triples and 10 stolen bases. I am noting that because Logan Webb is excellent at avoiding home runs, but that's been about it this season. He has a 4.82 ERA in 2026, and lefties have hit a whopping .306 against him.
Bargain Bats
All told, the Rangers are probably content with Brandon Nimmo ($3,000) after bringing him over this offseason. He's hit .253 with seven homers and 10 doubles. Rangers fans may not feel the same way, because he's been bad at home. On the road, though, Nimmo has an .884 OPS. Andre Pallante probably wishes he was on the road himself. Since 2024 he has a 5.00 ERA at home.
He's been a career minor leaguer, but he's also "only" 26, and Wade Meckler ($2,900) has gotten called up by the Angels. The outfielder has hit .323 with two homers and two stolen bases, but he's here largely because the guys who hit left-handed on the Angels are rare and, right now, mostly injured. Why was I so determined to find a lefty? Michael Lorenzen has a 7.22 ERA and, no joke, lefties have hit .425 against him. That's be notable after two outings, but Lorenzen has pitched 13 times!
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers at Diamondbacks (Zac Gallen): Andy Pages ($3,800), Freddie Freeman ($3,300), Max Muncy ($3,200)
No turnaround is coming for Gallen. Last year his strikeouts fell, his homers rose, and he finished with a 4.83 ERA. This season, his strikeouts have fallen even more, his homers have risen a smidge, and he has a 5.16 ERA through 12 starts. Now it's the Dodgers' turn, and this trio's turn, to get a shot at Gallen.
Pages has built upon last year, as he's posted a .289 average with 13 homers and seven stolen bases. He's gotten better against righties season by season, and he's slugged over .500 in those matchups this year. That's good, because Gallen's fellow righties have hit .296 against him in 2026. Freeman has a .909 OPS over the last three weeks. His issues this year, such as they are, have been against lefties and at home. Freeman has had a preference for being on the road as a Dodger, and he has a .902 OPS in away outings since 2024. Muncy has hit 14 home runs in only 55 games. Over the last three seasons he has a .910 OPS against righties, and while he's usually been much better at home this year his road OPS is comfortably over .850.
Reds vs. Royals (Stephen Kolek): JJ Bleday ($4,300), Sal Stewart ($3,600), Nathaniel Lowe ($3,000)
Yeah, 29-year-olds who start the season in Triple-A don't tend to fill me with enthusiasm or confidence. Kolek has now made five starts for the Royals this year, and he has a 3.48 ERA paired with a 4.20 FIP. The righty seems solid at avoiding homers and walks, but this year he's struck out a mere 5.52 batters per nine innings. Since he is a righty, I have two southpaws in this stack.
Bleday is one of the veteran lefties who hopped on with the Reds and has delivered a revitalized season for his new team. He has an OPS over 1.000 against righties, but also an OPS over 1.000 at home. Stewart has been a stellar rookie and he's already hit double digits in both homers and stolen bases. He's yet to hit a wall, even as he's changed positions, as he has an .860 OPS over the last three weeks. Cincinnati has shielded Lowe from lefties, and it's worked swimmingly. He's slugged over .600 both against right-handed pitchers and also at home.
